‘It is a ONE-WAY road’ Turkey furious with EU over failing migrant deal
TURKEY has accused Europe of failing to keep its side of the much-heralded one-for-one migrant deal.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has accused EU of bad faith over migrant deal
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim accused the Union of “acting unfairly” by failing to resettle refugees and not handing over a promised £4billion.
The PM said Europe has not given over the aid money, along with visa-free entry for its residents to the Schengen zone.
Under the deal Europe agreed to take 72,000 of the most vulnerable refugees - but Yildirim said the promise has not been fulfilled.
He said: “We signed an agreement with the EU and it has not been implemented.
“Europe has only received 1,000 Syrians, when they should have taken 100,000. Three billion Euros of aid was committed to us and we have not hear anything about this.
“Nor have we heard anything about the visa exemption.
“This is unfair - it is a one-way road.”
Migrants are arriving on Greek shores again despite previous drop in numbers
His comments came as the number of migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece began to climb again.
The International Organisation for Migration says that 266,026 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea to August 17 – more than 162,015 landed in Greece.
Around 260 of these were in the last week.
The president of Turkey said Europe is failing to keep up its end of the bargain over migrants
Migrants continue to arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos from Turkey
Tensions have risen between Ankara and Brussels recently, made worse by the failed Turkish coup.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is reportedly livid EU ministers focused on his reactionary punishment, rather than the assault on Turkish democracy.
The bloc came up with the deal, signed in March, to put a stop to the global refugee crisis which has put strain on Schengen countries.
Last year, 1.3m migrants arrived in Germany to seek asylum.
It was initially suggested Turkish people would be able to travel through Europe without a visa, under Schengen rules, by October, but this is looking increasingly unlikely.
Ankara has hinted it would allow migrants to pass through and on to Greece if Europe turns back on the deal.
The president said Turkey could end up sending migrants back
Mr Yildirim also said he would be watching decision made in Germany, as he described Angela Merkel’s country as the real decision makers of the Union.
He said: “Germany is the driving force behind the EU.
“It is the most important adhesive.”